Tuesday, April 5, 2016

The Big Question

They had been sharing his L.A. loft condo for only two
months, but Brad was ready to ask the big question. He had liked being married, and seeing the
kids for the weekends wasn’t much of a life.
But would Carrie be ready to make
their relationship permanent? There was
a risk in asking too soon.

“Go out and get a dog,” his best friend Charlie had
suggested. “If she agrees to that, you
are halfway to engagement.”

“Maybe. But the other
half is what I am worried about,” Brad lamented.

Following Charlie’s advice, they had gone to the animal
shelter and gleefully brought home Juno—a six-month old, crate-trained yellow
lab who could play ball twenty-four hours a day. Carrie loved Juno. She took her in the car to go to the doggie
beach, to the grocery story, even to their favorite café. The three of them would sit on the café’s
patio, drink a latte and watch the Ferrari’s drive by on Highway 1.

So another two months passed. Then, one day, after a yoga class at the gym,
Carrie came out of the locker room in her t-shirt and leotard pants, shaking
her ponytail loose.

“I want to go home and shower before dinner, not take time
to shower and change here.”

“Home?” Brad was
stunned. This was the first time she had
uttered the “h” word. Usually, she would
say, “the condo.”

“Home? The condo?” he
repeated.

“Yes, silly. Home is
where the heart is.” Carrie nuzzled her
nose into Brad’s neck. “Don’t you know
that by now?”

“Guess I didn’t.” Brad paused, pulling back to look at her,
face to face.

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About Me:

I have lived in Tucson since 1971 and have worked as a community development professional for more than forty years. I volunteer with TEDxTucson and the Tucson Botanical Gardens in addition to providing pro bono and consulting work through my business, Community Renaissance. http://www.communityrenaissance.biz . Also through Community Renaissance, I am working with others on our primary community projects, Do Happy Today and BuildUP^ Tucson & Beyond .

I write poetry, short fiction, nonfiction and essays. I love to read and used to dance ballet and tap, but I now mindfully walk my neighborhood near the Rillito River, bicycle indoors, do weights, Tai Chi and Qi Jong, and swim several times a week.